Alain Tamo-Noche knew going from playing volleyball at Penn Hills to playing at the NCAA Division II level was going to be a major change.

Once Tamo-Noche made it to Wilberforce, Ohio, to play in the inaugural season for the Central State men’s volleyball program, he had another curveball thrown his way.

Initially planning to redshirt, the 6-foot-1 Tamo-Noche was asked to slide from his preferred right side to middle blocker.

“Coming from the outside to play in the middle was hard because everything was faster,” Tamo-Noche said. “You have to focus. Playing middle takes patience, but everything moves fast. Even now, I’m still not comfortable with everything I have to do.”

But for the Marauders, whose roster is composed of all freshmen save for one sophomore, there was always going to be some movement during their first season together.

Central State is 8-13 overall but is tied for first place with a 6-1 mark in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Should both teams win out, the Marauders would share the crown with Edward Waters (Fla.), which split the season series with Central State.

Marauders coach Ray Lewis has been pleased with how Tamo-Noche has transitioned. What has stood out to Lewis is how competitive Tamo-Noche is. That drive has helped him overcome some of the bumps that come along with a jump in competition.

“I think he’s come a long way since day one,” Lewis said. “He walked into the gym as a raw athlete and I’ve seen him develop into a volleyball player. He made strides in awareness for games and has made a lot of progress.”

Tamo-Noche has played in 13 sets for Central State, recording eight kills and seven blocks.

Switching positions required Tamo-Noche to exit his comfort zone. Playing middle requires a different mindset.

“You have to be detailed and attentive to detail,” Lewis said. “When I talk about IQ, you have to understand where to be as a blocker and understand responsibility. You need to know where you can swing, be more physical and do what you have to do in terms of timing and spacing.”

Seeing the Marauders have so much success in their first season was something Tamo-Noche expected after the preseason.

“We worked hard in the preseason,” Tamo-Noche said. “We worked hard to be 6-1, and we were expecting to be able to win the conference. That was one of our goals to win the conference.”

Central State played a difficult nonconference schedule to help improve. The Marauders played Division I opponent Ohio State twice and also played Purdue Fort Wayne. Lewis believes Tamo-Noche competing against high-level players will help in his development.

For now, Tamo-Noche is eager to keep learning and help Central State win the first SIAC crown.

“We have to stay focused,” Tamo-Noche said. “We can’t be complacent. One loss could decide the conference, and one set could make a difference.”

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